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Bill prevents changes to VA policy that would cut off thousands of veterans from accessing housing services

MURRAY: We have a duty to care for veterans, not to create more barriers to care

(Washington, D.C.) –Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate
Veterans’ Affairs Committee, introduced The Homeless Veterans Services
Protection Act with cosponsor Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI), which would
prevent thousands of homeless veterans from
losing access to housing services. VA’s proposed changes to the
decades-old policy for homeless services would bar access for veterans
who served less that than two years continuously, or who had an other
than honorable discharge. This bill would ensure that
those changes can never take place. Last week, Sen. Murray toured the
Randall Apartments in Tacoma, a 35-unit complex that serves homeless
veterans. She also met with representatives from
the
Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs, local housing
authorities, and community groups to discuss her new legislation.

“Our veterans made great sacrifices while serving our country and our commitment to them is especially important,”
said Senator Murray. “This
bill makes it clear that our country takes care of those who’ve served,
and we don’t allow bureaucracy to dictate who gets a roof over their
head and who doesn’t.…If we ever hope to end veteran
homelessness, we must do everything we can to reach this goal, and I
want to make sure that the VA’s policies are moving us in that
direction.”

“As
we work towards ending veterans homelessness, it is imperative that we
use federal resources to help our servicemembers and their families in
need,”
said Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
"Many of our vulnerable
veterans saw combat and are fighting PTSD and traumatic brain injury.
Instead of leaving these veterans out in the cold, we must ensure access
to stable housing and other necessary services. This bill would codify
VA practices
that have proven to be effective in getting veterans off the street and
into housing. I commend Senator Murray on her leadership and am proud
to work with her on this important issue.”

The problem arose last year when a
legal review concluded that veterans who served fewer than two years or
had an other than honorable discharge may not be eligible for benefits
such as housing services. As a result, when the VA instituted
the policy last year, homeless shelters and providers who receive
funding through the VA’s Grant and Per Diem (GPD) program were told to
turn away new homeless veterans who didn’t meet the length of service or
discharge requirements. Had this policy been fully
carried out, this could have resulted in 15 percent of the homeless
veterans population being turned away, and in certain urban areas could
have been up to 30 percent. Sen. Murray
introduced emergency legislation to reverse it, causing the VA to temporarily rescind the policy change.

The
Homeless Veterans Services Protection Act being introduced today will
ensure that in the future, veterans cannot be turned away from
organizations because they don’t meet certain length of service or
discharge requirements and that
our country is fulfilling our promise to care for servicemembers and
veterans.

Excerpts from Senator Murray’s remarks for the record are below:

“The
Administration set the difficult but commendable goal of eliminating
veteran homelessness. Through tremendous efforts at every level of
government, and with the help of community groups, non-profits and the
private sector, we
have made major progress toward achieving that goal.”

“But
last year, after a legal review of its policies, VA was forced to
prepare for a change that would have cut off services to veterans who
did not meet certain length of service or discharge requirements,
changing policies that
homeless service providers had followed for decades. That would be a
heartless, bureaucratic move that could have put thousands of veterans
on the streets—practically overnight.”

“As
a senior member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the
daughter of a World War II veteran, I’m proud that the bill I have
introduced today would permanently protect homeless veterans’ access to
housing and services.
This bill makes it clear that our country takes care of those who’ve
served, and we don’t allow bureaucracy to dictate who gets a roof over
their head and who doesn’t.”

“If we ever hope to end veteran
homelessness we must do everything we can to reach this goal, and I want
to make sure that VA’s policies are moving us in that direction. I
don’t just believe that the United States can do better; I
believe we must do better for those who’ve sacrificed so much for our
country.”

Senator Murray’s remarks for the record are below:

“Mr. President, today I am
introducing the Homeless Veterans Services Protection Act of 2015. This
legislation would ensure continued access to homeless services for some
of our country’s most vulnerable veterans who are currently
at risk of losing these critical services.

“The Administration set the
difficult but commendable goal of eliminating veteran homelessness.
Through tremendous efforts at every level of government, and with the
help of community groups, non-profits and the private sector, we
have made major progress toward achieving that goal. But we know we
have a lot of work to do. Veterans are at greater risk of becoming
homeless than non-veterans and on any given night as many as 50,000
veterans are homeless across the United States.

“This is unacceptable. Our
veterans made great sacrifices while serving our country and our
commitment to them is especially important. This commitment includes
providing benefits, medical care, support, and assistance to prevent
homelessness.

“Two
of our greatest tools are the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Grant and
Per Diem program and the Supportive Services for Veteran Families
program through partnerships with homeless service providers around the
country. These
important and successful programs assist very low-income veterans and
their families who either live in permanent housing or are transitioning
from homelessness. The programs help our veterans with rent, utilities,
moving costs, outreach, case management,
and obtaining benefits.

“But last year, after a legal
review of its policies, VA was forced to prepare for a change that would
have cut off services to veterans who did not meet certain length of
service or discharge requirements, changing policies that
homeless service providers had followed for decades.

“That
would be a heartless, bureaucratic move that could have put thousands
of veterans on the streets—practically overnight. According to some of
our leading veterans and homeless groups – including The American
Legion, the National
Alliance to End Homelessness, the National Low Income Housing
Coalition, and the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans – had the
policy been enacted, VA would have had to stop serving about 15 percent
of the homeless veteran population, and in certain urban
areas up to 30 percent of homeless veterans would have been turned
away.

“The
veterans community alerted me to this possible change-- and while I’m
proud that we prevented these changes in the short-term—it’s very
concerning that a legal opinion could be issued at any time to undo all
of that. There is
good reason to reverse this policy for good. A report from VA’s
Inspector General, issued just last week, shows how VA’s unclear or
outdated guidance hurts veterans, and how VA’s proposed policy changes
work against efforts to help homeless veterans.

“As
a senior member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the
daughter of a World War II veteran, I’m proud that the bill I have
introduced today would permanently protect homeless veterans’ access to
housing and services.
This bill makes it clear that our country takes care of those who’ve
served, and we don’t allow bureaucracy to dictate who gets a roof over
their head and who doesn’t.

“Many
veterans struggle with mental illness, substance abuse, or simply
finding a steady job-all factors that can lead to homelessness. And
veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are increasingly becoming
homeless – numbers
that will continue to increase in the coming years unless help is
available for them.

“The
idea that any of these veterans returning from service could become
homeless because of these policies is unacceptable. If we ever hope to
end veteran homelessness we must do everything we can to reach this
goal, and I want to
make sure that VA’s policies are moving us in that direction. I don’t
just believe that the United States can do better; I believe we must do
better for those who’ve sacrificed so much for our country.

“Finally,
I’d like to thank Senator Hirono for cosponsoring this bill and being a
champion of the men and women who have served our country. Thank you.”

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Jim, Dona, Jess, Ty, "Ava" started out this site as five students enrolled in journalism in NY. Now? We're still students. We're in CA. Journalism? The majority scoffs at the notion.
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